BY NTOKOZO MAGONGO
MBABANE — South Africa’s Bafana Bafana will face Egypt, Zimbabwe, and Angola in Group B of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025/2026 tournament.
The draw, conducted Monday evening in Morocco, has set the stage for an exciting competition. Mozambique’s Black Mambas find themselves in Group F, widely regarded as one of the toughest, alongside Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, and Gabon.
Reigning champions Senegal, who claimed the title in 2021, will compete in Group D against the Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin, and Botswana.
According to CAF’s official website, the tournament will feature six groups of four teams each, with the finals scheduled to run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Matches will be held across six cities and nine stadiums in Morocco, as the continent’s best teams vie for Africa’s most prestigious football trophy.
Hosts Morocco, drawn into Group A, will face Mali, Zambia, and Comoros in what promises to be a fiercely contested pool. In Group C, Nigeria takes on Tunisia and East African representatives Uganda and Tanzania.
Record seven-time champions Egypt, led by Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, are among the favourites to win the tournament. Meanwhile, South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, who secured the bronze medal in the previous edition, will aim to improve their third-place finish.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 16, joined by the four best third-placed teams.
The draw was conducted with the assistance of African football legends Serge Aurier, Aliou Cissé, Joseph Yobo, and Mustapha Hadji.
AFCON Morocco 2025 Draw:
- Group A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros
- Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
- Group C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania
- Group D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana
- Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan
- Group F: Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique
